Removal of adenoids at what age is better. Adenoids in a child: treat or remove? The most important facts about adenoids in children

Let's talk about adenoids in children, or tonsils, as they are also called. It is almost impossible to raise a child without ever hearing from the doctor the phrase that the child has adenoids. What are adenoids? Do I need to remove adenoids from a child? When is the best time to remove adenoids from a child?

Parents always have many questions about this disease, for example, where are the adenoids in the child. The fact is that a person has 6 tonsils. They are all located in the nasopharynx. Three of them are very small and three are large. Two large tonsils are located near the palate, they are felt by hand. Their inflammation is called tonsillitis. Another large tonsil is located in the nasopharynx, where air comes out of the nose. It is she who is called the adenoid.

As a rule, the adenoids are small in size. They can be seen with a special mirror, like a dentist. In the reflection of the mirror, the doctor may notice their increase. If the amygdala enlarges in the mouth, it will be visible. And if it grows in the nose, then it will be well felt by the child. This can lead to snoring, wheezing in children, and sleep with an open mouth.

An enlarged adenoid tonsil will make nasal breathing difficult. Parents should understand that even if the child has grown up without ever having had respiratory viral infections, it is extremely unlikely that the adenoids will not increase. It is impossible for a child not to get sick without getting an inflammation of the adenoids, if you live in a city, communicate with peers, go to kindergartens and schools. Therefore, an increase in adenoids will sooner or later happen in all children. But not all children have this increase to the extent that the adenoids must be removed surgically.

Adenoid face in a child

But what is an adenoid face in a child? The fact is that the prolonged absence of nasal breathing leads to a specific deformation of the facial skeleton and a change in bite. A child who suffers all the time and breathes through his mouth, otherwise he sleeps, chews and eats differently from ordinary children.

His facial skeleton changes. This change in medicine is called the adenoid face. Deformity of the face and facial skeleton is one of the main indications for the removal of adenoids.

What are the preventions for adenoids? First of all, parents should understand that the severity of adenoid disease is very often directly related to the severity of the viral infection and to how mothers and fathers help children with viral infections. The higher the concentration of viruses in the inhaled air, and the worse the parameters of the air we breathe, the more dust, the drier and warmer the air, the greater the load on the child's local immunity system and on the work of the mucous membranes.

If a child easily tolerates viral infections, then, naturally, the adenoids react to this in moderation. All doctors are well aware that it is absolutely unrealistic for any working mother to stay at home for 2 weeks with every childhood illness. However, there are things that can be influenced. Everything must be done so that viral infections are as rare as possible and proceed easily.

In order for viral infections to proceed easily, it is necessary to ensure that the mucous membrane does not dry out. Timely maintenance of air parameters, moistening of the mucous membranes of the nasal passages leads to the fact that the disease will be easy, and the adenoids will be moderate. In this case, even if they increase, then their recovery will take not 2 weeks, but only 3-4 days.

However, parents should understand that very often adenoids found in a child are perceived by moms and dads as a sign of maternal inferiority. Allegedly, the parents themselves brought the child to the point that there was an inflammation. But you need to know that no one is to blame for this inflammation, because it is impossible to find a kindergarten where the required temperature in the bedroom is 19 degrees, and they often walk with children, it is impossible to find a school where the class is ventilated every change. It is generally impossible to raise a child in our beloved country in such a way that health is in the first place. Because this is all impossible, parents have to pay the price.

Effective treatment of adenoids in children - is there any?

Due to the shortcomings of our schools and kindergartens, mothers and fathers have to pay for the child's health with a bunch of drugs. And here the fun begins. Everyone thinks that there are some magic pills and drops that can be given to a child, and he will not have adenoids, or they will pass by themselves. In fact, it is clear that if allergies are the cause of an increase in adenoids, then, naturally, the active use of antiallergic drugs can reduce allergic edema of the adenoid tissue. But if a child often suffers from viral infections, then there are no pills that can affect the reduction of inflammation.

In the overwhelming majority of cases, conservative, that is, non-surgical methods of treating adenoids, are only a business and a deception of ordinary people. For this, charlatans offer the use of ultrasound, warming up, frostbite and various expensive drops. It is impossible to cure adenoids in this way, but it is possible to help the child in a different way. To do this, you need to walk more, moisturize and ventilate the room, play sports with your child. Although it is not called a cure, it helps with inflammation.

Methods for removing adenoids in children

When should adenoids be removed? And can they be frozen? You need to know that there are very specific indications for removal. There is a basic procedure for removing adenoids in children - the first and most important indication is that the child's nose does not work, that is, he does not have nasal breathing.

This is very often manifested by the fact that the child does not get enough sleep, snores at night, he has respiratory arrest during sleep. And when this arises, it does not matter how old the child is, how he feels, what sores he has. That is, if a child has respiratory arrest at night, then there is nothing to invent, it is necessary to definitely remove the adenoids.

And why are adenoids dangerous in children? Parents should understand that the adenoids are closely related to the work of the organ of hearing. The ear cavity is connected to the nasal cavity by a special tube called the auditory tube. Very often, the adenoids overlap this auditory tube. In this regard, the child has frequent otitis media. The fact that otitis media occurs in children many times more often than in adults is primarily due to the fact that it is the enlarged adenoids that can block the auditory tube. Therefore, frequent recurrent otitis media is also an unequivocal indication that the child needs to remove the adenoids. And one more indication for surgery is the deformation of the facial skeleton. This is also an indication for surgical removal.

Should pain relief be used during surgery to remove the inflamed adenoids? Well, by and large, removal has been widely practiced since the late 18th century. Before that, no one had done this. And, of course, for many years, the removal took place exclusively with the help of local anesthesia or no anesthesia at all. The greatest danger was postoperative bleeding. After that, the technique of local anesthesia appeared. To do this, special drugs with an analgesic effect were instilled into the nose.

And recently, the standard is the removal of adenoids under general anesthesia, since a huge number of options for modern safe anesthesia have appeared, which acts for a very short time. The operation usually lasts a maximum of 5-10 minutes. 10 minutes is the maximum duration of this operation. When removing adenoids, not only knives are often used, but also an electric device that allows the vessels to be cauterized. In modern conditions, there is practically no bleeding during such an operation. In our country, it is customary to carry out such an operation in a hospital, but in America it can even be performed at home.

It should be emphasized that this is very important, because during the last 130-140 years mankind has accumulated vast experience in adenoid surgery. We are talking about hundreds of millions of operations. It has now been unequivocally proven that there are no subsequent disadvantages and disadvantages in such a surgical intervention. That is, if we operate on adenoids, then the child after that will not have any negative manifestations. He will not hurt any more than usual. That is, this operation does not threaten the children. He only has better nasal breathing and appetite. This must be understood.

However, this does not mean that everyone should be operated without real evidence. Since any operation is a risk of anesthesia, bleeding or infection. If there is an opportunity to avoid the operation, then it is better to use this opportunity.

Temperature with adenoids in children

Is it true that children with adenoids more often have a bacterial complication of viral infections? Such a complication in ARVI is different. This can most often be manifested by pneumonia or otitis media. Naturally, a child cannot breathe through his nose with a viral infection, but breathes through his mouth.

Consequently, the likelihood of drying out mucus in the bronchi and impaired ventilation of the lungs is much higher than usual. Therefore, the presence of adenoids increases the likelihood of purulent otitis media. This statement is absolutely correct. But this does not mean that children with adenoids should receive antibiotics at the slightest sign of illness. Since the appointment of antibiotics for prophylaxis for viral infections does not reduce, but increases the likelihood of bacterial complications.

Is there any special treatment for ARVI in a child with adenoids? The answer is no. There are standard rules for the treatment of ARVI. If a child has enlarged adenoids, then the body of such a child does not forgive mistakes when providing assistance during ARVI treatment. The average child needs plenty of fluids, cool moist air, and a saline rinse through the nose. A child with adenoids needs all this 3 times more. That's the whole secret.

What can the child eat after the removal surgery? Parents have such a question in vain, since there are no restrictions after the operation. The operation takes 5-10 minutes. The effects of anesthesia will not appear after 2-3 hours. Of course, there will be some mild pain when swallowing. After removal, painkillers are needed for no more than 30-40% of children. Even paracetamol is usually sufficient.

If, nevertheless, it hurts the child to swallow, then it is better to use some puree in food. Again, nothing hot is recommended for food after surgery. Moreover, on the contrary, cold is recommended, even something ice cold, ice cream is best.

Methods for the treatment of adenoids in children

Are there folk remedies for adenoids in children? Some parents say that active exercise can help those with adenoid problems. Is it really? In general, lymphoid tissue reacts to air parameters and to frequent infections. Naturally, if you go in for sports such as athletics, that is, if the child spends more time outdoors, then there is much less chance that the adenoids will grow. If a child chooses as a sport, for example, chess or wrestling, that is, exercising in a confined space and in the dust, then such a sport is unlikely to reduce the likelihood of adenoid growth. Most likely, it's not about sports, but about the intensity of the child's stay in the fresh air.

At what age is it better to remove adenoids? Can this be done at 3 years old or is it better to wait 6 years? At 3 years old, parents do not want to remove it, because there is a high risk of re-inflammation. But if there are indications for removal, then the child's age does not matter.

Let's summarize, the main thing, please, moms and dads, do not perceive adenoids as a tragedy. Also, do not perceive their removal as a terrible operation that puts your child's life at risk. You should also pay attention to the fact that quite often there are numerous medications that can supposedly reduce or cure adenoids. But in fact, they do the child's body many times more harm than the disease itself.

If parents want their child not to need surgery and treatment, then it is necessary to adequately educate the children, create normal living conditions for them and, if possible, influence the administration of the child care facility so that the premises are ventilated and the normal temperature is maintained.

The operation is a serious matter, even if we are talking about a seemingly simple removal of the adenoids. Especially when very young children have to remove them. Parents, of course, want to avoid surgery by any means. Is it possible? And what could a child be threatened by a refusal to remove adenoids in the future? This will be discussed below.

If a child has inflamed adenoids, he cannot breathe through his nose. Long-term disturbance of such breathing worsens the supply of oxygen to the body, which affects not only the general well-being of the child, but also his academic performance - he becomes inattentive and absent-minded. Adenoid tissue can block the auditory tube, impairing ventilation in the middle ear and impairing hearing.

In a child who constantly breathes through his mouth, the facial skeleton develops inharmoniously: the lower jaw begins to droop, and the upper one becomes compressed. The process of tooth growth is disrupted - the upper incisors protrude forward. Even the curves of the spine change depending on the correct breathing. Of course, all these changes do not occur overnight. But the sooner the child is helped, the more likely they can be prevented.

Is it time to delete?

If the proliferation of the adenoids has entered the second phase, the removal of the adenoids is always prescribed. How to determine that the adenoids have grown to the second degree? This will immediately become clear if you listen to the child's breathing in a dream. When snoring appears, you can safely make a diagnosis - this is the second degree adenoids. In folk medicine, many methods of treating overgrown adenoids can be provided, but whether it is worth risking a child's health by making him an experimental animal is a matter for each parent. To date, only one method of treatment is recognized by official medicine - surgery.

Why can't you do without surgery?

Because adenoids are, in fact, cell proliferation. The resulting cells cannot simply dissolve. It is an independent organ that cannot be removed by any medication. Adenoids won't get smaller! If they already exist, you can either delete them or not delete them. Enlargement of the adenoids is often combined with enlargement of the lateral tonsils. In this case, during surgery, the adenoids are simultaneously removed and the amygdala is reduced in size. They are not removed at all. The operation itself takes a little longer.

Cancellation of the operation can be very dire. The child may have malformed skull bones in the face. At the same time, the child's nose undergoes the most serious changes. It becomes short and snub-nosed, and the nostrils dilate. With adenoids, a huge load falls on the child's middle ear. Pressure builds up inside the ear itself, making the eardrum insensitive. Hearing is rapidly deteriorating. A kid with adenoids is always very susceptible to colds. The circulation of air and mucus in the nasal cavity is inhibited - this creates favorable conditions for the growth of the number of dangerous bacteria. Adenoids are a constant source of pathogenic microbes that can spread throughout the body at any time. They can settle in any organ, causing inflammation.

At what age to remove adenoids?

If a child has adenoids removed before a year, then it is very likely that his adenoids will grow back. Therefore, with the first operation, it is better to hold out until the age of three, if the child's condition allows. In children with allergies, re-proliferation of adenoids most often occurs. Nowadays, the operation to remove the adenoids is done only under anesthesia. General anesthesia is usually used in hospitals. This is the world practice, convenient both for doctors and for the patient himself. So the child does not feel anything and is not afraid. Some hospitals provide local anesthesia, but the child may be afraid of blood during the operation. The fright can be so strong that the child will not want to open his mouth at the doctors for a long time. Therefore, when using local anesthesia, it is best to supplement it with an injection of a sedative.

The first experiments on the use of a laser to remove adenoids are being carried out, and attempts are being made to irradiate them with X-rays. However, all these methods require further improvement. Today, the safest and most reliable way of treatment is surgery. If your child is prescribed such an operation, it is better not to hesitate.

Colds and an eternally sniffing nose are peculiar symbols of childhood. Inflammatory phenomena that often occur in the nasopharynx lead to pathological proliferation of the tonsils (adenoids), which cause many unpleasant disorders.

The amygdala, even strongly overgrown, is not visible from the outside, and therefore only a doctor with special equipment can see it. Often, the only way to get rid of the problem is to surgically remove the adenoids in children.

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How is the nasopharyngeal tonsil removed?

Many parents, especially young ones, understandably find it scary to take their child to the surgical department. And all because they do not know how to remove adenoids in children, how the operation goes, whether it is painful. All these worries are groundless - as a rule, there are no negative consequences after a well-performed removal procedure.

Modern medicine considers several methods of removing adenoids in children:

  • traditional;
  • endoscopic;
  • using a laser.

Each of them is quite effective, but also has inherent disadvantages. Read on to learn how adenoids are removed in children.

Traditional surgery

The traditional method is based on the use of conventional surgical instruments. It is simple and does not require expensive equipment; it is performed on an outpatient basis, but it has one important drawback. It consists in slow healing of the wound surface, which sometimes reaches a large area and bleeds. Rehabilitation in this case requires time and regular treatment with antiseptics.

Endoscopic equipment

This method is considered to be very effective. Excision of overgrown tissue using conventional means, including a visual inspection mirror, is not the only way to do this.

An endoscope inserted through the nose or mouth gives the doctor a good view of the operation site, which contributes to the complete removal of overgrown tissues. As a result, re-growth is extremely rare.

There is no doubt about the effectiveness of the operation using a laser. It is completely painless, does not cause bleeding, but it relieves the patient of adenoids almost completely, with a minimum investment of time. Effective at any stage.

Surgery review overview

Some parents doubt for a long time whether it is necessary to remove the adenoids from the child. However, many reviews have been published on the Web about this procedure, left by those parents who decided on it. Most of them are positive.

Almost all reviews about the removal of adenoids in children speak of the effectiveness of surgical methods, especially if the intervention was timely.

Most adults note a significant improvement in the child's well-being, a rapid normalization of his condition. After excision of the tonsils, children stop snoring in their sleep, their voice becomes more sonorous, and speech becomes intelligible. Most importantly, children begin to get sick much less often. And even hearing in children suffering from deafness is restored completely.

In one of the typical reviews, the mother spoke in detail about the operation to remove the adenoids from her five-year-old daughter, when the conservative treatment prescribed by the doctor was unsuccessful. The doctor diagnosed the girl with third degree adenoiditis, the eardrums were deformed, and her hearing deteriorated. The operation was carried out under general anesthesia and took about an hour. As a result, nasal breathing was fully restored, her hearing improved, the girl became healthy and cheerful.

Parents of young patients in their reviews also note that it is impossible to postpone the operation, since this leads to very unpleasant consequences.

As the parents say, the procedure of adenotomy is painless, since modern methods of anesthesia are used. Removal of the adenoids takes a little time, and complications practically do not occur.

Do I need surgery?

Practice shows that surgical intervention is not always necessary. Adenoiditis of the first and second degrees is treated with conservative methods, which often give good results. But with a strong proliferation of tissues, an operation to excision of tissues is necessary.

Indications

Many parents are worried about when it is necessary to remove adenoids from a child, what signs indicate the time for surgery.

An increase in the size of the amygdala does not yet mean that the procedure is mandatory - specialists will first insist on conservative therapy. Removal of adenoids in a child is performed only if therapy does not give results, and it is already impossible to do without an operation.

There are the following indications for the removal of adenoids in children:

  • third degree of the disease;
  • frequent repeated ones that do not respond well to therapy and aggravate the situation with an overgrown amygdala;
  • frequent;
  • noticeable hearing loss;
  • observation of speech disorders and developmental delays;
  • difficulty breathing;
  • malocclusion and changes in the appearance of the baby (the so-called adenoid face).
The main indication for surgery is the third degree of the disease, in which many of the problems listed above arise. In addition to them, the baby experiences constant psycho-emotional discomfort, lacks sleep due to shortness of breath. The development of intelligence is also greatly delayed.

It is not difficult to identify severe adenoiditis, in which the intervention of a surgeon is highly desirable. The question of whether it is worth removing adenoids for a child will be answered unequivocally by frequent infectious diseases, heavy breathing, inability to breathe through the nose, and even episodic respiratory arrest in a dream.

It is especially important to carry out the operation in a timely manner - even before the development of irreversible changes and serious consequences. Lack of treatment or its delay can lead to disability. This means that in many cases it is simply impossible to doubt whether it is necessary to remove adenoids from a child.

Does the procedure hurt?

Sometimes adults from the memories of distant childhood single out the operation they underwent, and therefore they associate it with unpleasant sensations and pain. As a result, they refuse to subject their own child to adenotomy, protecting him from pain. However, it is worthwhile to understand that in those days, an adenotomy was performed without any pain relief, which caused the very unpleasant sensations. What about now? Is it painful to remove adenoids today, or are there painless ways?

In modern clinics, adenoid removal surgery uses local or general anesthesia. General for the child is preferable, since the small patient falls asleep immediately after the injection and does not feel anything, and when he wakes up, all the actions of the doctor will already be performed.

Before the operation, it is worthwhile to find out from the doctor how adenoids are removed, what form of anesthesia is used. In addition, general anesthesia has several contraindications, so sometimes the doctor is forced to use local anesthesia. It is no less effective, but a small patient may be afraid of something - the kind of incomprehensible sparkling instruments, for example. Therefore, together with local anesthesia, a sedative is often injected, and the operation on adenoids is successful. The procedure is not performed without anesthesia for the child, because it is very painful.

Existing methods and methods

There are different ways to remove adenoids in children:

  • classic removal operation;
  • using an endoscope;
  • laser moxibustion.

The choice of this or that method depends solely on the condition of the patient, the severity of the existing problem, and some other factors.

What age do they do?

Adenoids are a phenomenon peculiar to children. They are found in adults, but much less often, and operations are also performed:

  • if adenoiditis is accurately diagnosed and is accompanied by frequent respiratory infections;
  • with recurrent otitis media and sinusitis;
  • with respiratory distress during sleep and strong night snoring.

However, young parents are more concerned about the age at which adenoids are removed from children. The best time is three to seven years. If you constantly delay the operation, then serious troubles may arise:

  • persistent and rather severe in some cases, hearing impairment;
  • chronic otitis media;
  • dental problems, including malocclusion;
  • changes in the position of the lower jaw.

Knowing at what age it is most effective to remove adenoids, you can perform the operation on time and with the highest efficiency. At the same time, the age of a child under three years old is referred to the list of contraindications. In general, the question of when it is better to remove the adenoids is decided individually on the basis of a detailed examination. Perhaps the operation should be delayed, giving preference to conservative methods of treatment.

Possible consequences

A timely performed adenotomy will completely get rid of serious problems. However, the removal of adenoids in children has and the consequences are quite unpleasant. Sometimes growths occur again (with poorly performed operation), and you have to decide on a second operation.

Many parents think about the danger of removing adenoids in children, and believe that with the removal of the tonsils, the child’s body loses the protective barrier for infections, which they, in essence, are. On the other hand, the overgrown tissue itself not only does not fulfill this barrier function, but also greatly worsens the general condition of the patient, and reduces immunity.

In general, the consequences after removal of the adenoids in children are positive. Parents who are well acquainted with the problem no longer doubt whether it is possible to remove adenoids in children, preferring adenotomy in cases where conservative treatment does not bring results.

In addition to the surgical, there is a conservative method of treatment, and, if only this is possible, doctors are trying to avoid surgery. Moreover, it is conservative treatment that is considered a priority. And therefore, parents should first try to use conservative methods of therapy for the growth of the pharyngeal tonsils, and only if they do not give a result, agree to adenotomy.

Sometimes they try to cure adenoiditis with folk remedies or widely advertised drugs. One of them is Tuya Edas-801 Oil, which is positioned as the most effective remedy for conservative treatment. In fact, homeopathy, as has been repeatedly proved by scientists and confirmed by practice, cannot cure anything at all, and adenoiditis is no exception. Therefore, do not succumb to beautiful deception, but contact a specialist.

Useful video

See this video for helpful tips for parents on removing adenoids:

conclusions

  1. Adenoiditis is an extremely unpleasant disease. In the absence of treatment or with delay, it can lead to very serious, sometimes even irreversible consequences.
  2. Timely treatment or surgery will completely save the patient from the problem.
  3. Today, there are very effective methods of surgical removal of adenoids. They do not give relapses, the baby's health is fully restored.

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With adenoids, the child has heavy breathing, while he breathes through the mouth. It is generally accepted that the only effective method of treating such a disease is surgical removal. However, despite medical advice, many parents are trying to find an alternative method of treatment. To figure out whether to remove adenoids or not, you should find out the cause of their occurrence, find out whether a surgical operation can harm a particular child, in which cases it can be avoided.

The reasons for the development of pathology

Adenoids are the pharyngeal tonsil, which consists of lymphoid tissues. This amygdala is located in the nasopharynx, and its purpose is to protect the body from infections and to produce lymphocytes. As they grow older, the adenoids usually atrophy, so they are small in adolescents over the age of 15-18.

Lymphocytes produced by the lymphoid tissue help to neutralize microbes that penetrate the nasopharynx. When a virus enters the child's body, an inflammatory process develops. To suppress inflammation and destroy the harmful bacteria, lymphoid tissues begin to grow and intensively produce lymphocytes.

In the case of frequent inflammatory processes, adenoids in children are constantly in an increased state, begin to grow, and as a result, they themselves can become a hotbed of chronic inflammation.

Adenoiditis can also develop as a result of chronic or allergic rhinitis. Typically, it is caused by household allergens - dust, mold spores, pet hair.

As statistics show, in 20% of cases of adenoiditis, the cause of its development is precisely allergy.

Other causes of pathology include:

  • Pregnancy and childbirth with pathologies. So, adenoids can occur as a result of birth trauma, birth asphyxia or fetal hypoxia. The cause of adenoids in a baby is sometimes a viral disease transferred by a pregnant mother, the use of toxic pharmacological drugs or antibiotics.
  • The child's habit of overeating.
  • Abuse of chemicalized and sweet foods.
  • The body's response to vaccinations.
  • Frequent colds.
  • Insufficiently strong immune system.
  • Dust and gas content of the air in the place of residence.

Symptoms and severity of the disease

Symptoms of pathology are:

  • Disturbed breathing through the nose.
  • Chronic otitis media, accompanied by serous nasal discharge.
  • Periodic mouth breathing.
  • Open mouth while sleeping.
  • Restless sleep with puffing and snoring.
  • Otitis, hearing problems.
  • A nasty voice (occurs in the case of a significant increase in the amygdala).

If the doctor confirms the presence of the disease, then he must establish its degree. To determine the exact degree, the child is examined by the X-ray method.

There are 3 degrees of the pathology in question:

  1. Overgrown adenoids occupy 1/3 of the lumen of the nasopharynx, and are barely visible from behind the edge of the choana. When viewed with a mirror, it can be seen that the adenoids have not yet formed, but only line the vault of the nasopharynx. A child's hearing, breathing and sleep are usually not impaired in the first degree. The only symptom that allows you to suspect the disease is a runny nose amid enlarged tonsils or swelling of the mucosa.
  2. An x-ray shows an increase in the lumen of the nasopharynx by 50%. Endoscopy reveals that they also occupy 50% of the choanal lumen. Inspection with a mirror allows you to see the same picture - the gap is half blocked. At grade 2, children breathe normally through the nose while awake, but snoring is accompanied by a night's sleep. If lymphoid tissue blocks the mouth of the Eustachian tubes, discomfort in the ears occurs and hearing is impaired.
  3. The third degree is characterized by the proliferation of adenoids, accompanied by the overlap of the entire lumen of the nasopharynx. Endoscopy at this stage is impossible, because adenoids in the nose do not allow the endoscope to enter into its cavity. Examination with a mirror allows you to see only the lymphoid tissue, but the choanas and the mouth of the Eustachian tubes are no longer visible. Parents can visually notice enlarged adenoids in the nose. A child cannot breathe through his nose at night or during the day. A year after the development of grade 3, the formation of the so-called “adenoid face” takes place - the child’s mouth is constantly half open, and his eyes are half open, the oval of the face is extended. Hearing is also significantly impaired and speech intelligibility reduced.

Stage-specific treatment

The first degree does not require treatment, and especially surgical intervention. The second degree is definitely needed, but the choice of treatment depends on the cause of the increase in adenoids.

In some cases, a disease that has reached the third stage can be cured without surgery. However, in order to achieve recovery, it is important to begin treatment promptly. If the patient has already deformed the facial skeleton of the "adenoid face" type, then the adenoids will have to be cut out.

Conservative therapy

Drug treatment is carried out using:

  • Vasodilator drops (Pharmazolin, Naphtizin, Glazolin, Rinosalon, etc.).
  • Anti-inflammatory hormonal nasal sprays (Nasonex, Flix).
  • Antihistamines (Erius, Diazolin, Zirtek, Suprastin).
  • Saline solutions (Nazomarin, Quicks, Aquamaris).
  • Antiseptic drugs (Albucid, Protargol).
  • Fortifying agents - immunostimulants, vitamins.

If the increase in the amygdala is not due to its growth, but due to edema caused by allergies, then the treatment is carried out with the help of antihistamines.

To enhance the effectiveness of drugs, patients are prescribed physiotherapy, traditional medicine, or homeopathic medicines.

Surgery

The operation can be performed by one of the following methods:

  • Instrumental (classic method using a Beckman knife).
  • Radio wave (the operation is carried out with a special apparatus Surgitron, which melts the affected tissue).
  • With the help of laser therapy.
  • Removal with a shaver (a special sharp device with a rapidly rotating head).

Is it possible to remove adenoids

It is not always possible to remove adenoids in children. For example, the operation is contraindicated in bronchial asthma and pronounced allergic diseases.

Even if the child does not have asthma and allergies and the pathology has not developed to the last degree, it is advisable to treat the disease with conservative methods. Surgical removal of adenoids is not always possible the first time. In addition, the removal procedure is performed under general anesthesia, which is associated with great health risks for young patients.

  • Removal of adenoids in babies under 6 years old leads to a weakening of the body's natural protective functions. The amygdala contributes to its protection against viruses and microbes, and also has a positive effect on the formation of the immune system. Operation at an early age can also cause the development of allergic rhinitis, hay fever, tracheobronchitis and even bronchial asthma.
  • The operation does not cancel conservative treatment in the future. On the contrary, after removal, the patient requires particularly careful treatment, which includes rinsing, nasal instillation and breathing exercises. In addition, even taking such measures does not always allow to avoid relapse - after all, lymphoid tissue can begin to grow again.
  • The reason for the difficulty in breathing may not lie at all in the adenoids, but in the curvature of the nasal septum, inflammation of the appendages of the nasal sinuses, or an allergic rhinitis, which provokes the development of swelling of the nasopharynx.
  • Parents whose child has first-degree diseases with mild symptoms should carry out conservative treatment as carefully as possible and remember that after about 11-13 years, the amygdala begins to atrophy and decrease in size on its own.

Therefore, before exposing a small patient to such stress, you should first weigh the pros and cons. It might be worth consulting with another doctor who has a good reputation.

The doctor, in turn, before deciding on an operation, when examining a child, draws attention to the following points:

  • The presence of mucus and pus on the adenoids. If they are present, then first of all it is necessary to cleanse the tonsil from them, and observe whether breathing has improved.
  • What surface do adenoids have? If it is smooth, then there is edema or an inflammatory process in which the operation cannot be done. The surface of healthy adenoids should be slightly wrinkled.
  • What color is the tonsil? If it is pink, then surgical intervention cannot be avoided. If it is bluish or bright red, then you should first try conservative treatment.

When is it better to remove adenoids from a child

If the decision to carry out the operation has already been made, and you doubt when to carry it out - in summer or winter, then it is better to plan for the summer or spring. In the cold season, there is a high risk of inflammation or virus infection. The operation should be postponed if a flu epidemic begins in the area where the child lives. If a small patient has recently undergone routine vaccination, then it will be possible for him to remove adenoids no earlier than a month after vaccination.

As for age, most doctors recommend removing adenoids at the age of 3-4 years.

Indications for surgery

Both domestic and Western doctors recommend removing adenoids only in three cases. Absolute indications for removal are:

  • The development of obstructive apnea syndrome - a condition in which breathing is held during a snoring during sleep. In some cases, it is fatal. In children who have a significantly enlarged tonsil, apnea occurs quite often.
  • Surgical intervention is also required in case of a pronounced violation of the structure of the facial skeleton.
  • Suspicion of the development of a malignant tumor in lymphoid tissues. In this case, the doctor must prescribe a comprehensive examination to the small patient, which will confirm or refute the alleged diagnosis.

As for all other indications - recurrent sinusitis, recurrent otitis media or inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx, all indications are relative. In these situations, tonsillectomy is considered mandatory only in the absence of a positive effect from conservative therapy.

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